How To Get Your Crisis Communications Right The First Time

It has taken Equifax several attempts (and CEO’s) to get their crisis communications right, following the massive data breach that has impacted more than 143 million people. What do I mean by “right”, you ask? I mean everything from their tone of care and concern, to admitting their need for improvement, to answering key stakeholder questions and concerns.

My friend, Josh Bernoff, editor of the Without Bullshit blog, made a great observation and asked me an important question. He wrote:

Why can’t organizations seem to get their crisis communications right the first time?

He’s right. We see this happen time and time again. It takes organizations multiple failed attempts at communicating, before they are able to do it right, and thus, finally begin to effectively manage their crisis. Why is this? There’s a simple answer, which I share with you in the latest CRISIS READY™ Video. Take a look – and learn how to avoid making this impactful mistake for your own organization!

Interested in bringing this important message to your next meeting or event?

Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. Agnes is a coveted keynote speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today’s leading organizations faced with the greatest risks. Learn more about Melissa and her work here.

Comments

This is very insightful! With something like crisis communications, sometimes you don’t have a second chance to get it right. (Honestly, we hope that we don’t have it happen more than once.) So these tips are really interesting and useful to read before you have to deal with a crisis. I will definitely keep them in mind in my career.

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Subscribe to receive emails with all my latest tips, strategies and case studies to help you turn today's real-time challenges into a winning crisis management strategy.